Category Archives: Fruits

Benefits of Strawberries

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Strawberries! Such a beautiful red, sweet tasting jewel! A fruit which is loved by almost everyone and it’s used in so many desserts, shakes and smoothies and makes a fantastic snack.

As a child, I hated strawberries yet I loved strawberry Ribena… thankfully my opinions of both have been completely reversed! Even as an adult, strawberries were really a fruit I would buy or eat even if we had some at home. Whenever I ate strawberries they tasted a bit sour, tangy and never juicy of sweet. I’ve come to the conclusion that since turning gluten-free and paleo that perhaps my taste buds have been cleansed and my ability to taste and appreciate food has improved. That or strawberries until that point just didn’t taste as nice? Either way, I’m glad I’ve developed a love for strawberries. I love topping my chocolate waffles with them (which I’ve not had in ages by the way, go me! Although it’s mostly because I only have one tin of coconut milk left and don’t want to waste it as I can’t be bothered to order more. Plus I order it from Abel & Cole and that and coconut oil are the only things I buy from there and I don’t use either too often).

Anyway, I have strawberries almost every day. I love slicing them up with bananas, drizzling them in honey and topping them with mixed seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate chips and ground almonds. It’s such a simple yet delicious snack. Occassionally, I vary the fruits I use and can include blueberries and grapes but strawberries and bananas are the perfect combination. I have bananas every single day in this way… my day doesn’t feel right anymore unless I’ve eaten a banana… I’m not sure if that’s a good thing though! This snack is uber healthy and it beats regular strawberries and cream!

These ‘postcards’ are from Oasis Advanced Wellness, I follow them on Facebook (I’m not encouraging people to sign up or join as it can be a big waste of time but I use it to save time by having interest lists instead of being a fb junkie and watching my newsfeed all day. I basically have beneficial posts all in one place and it takes minutes to whizz through it all. Kinda like google reader and others like it but I choose to follow specific pages where I can get good info from). OAW are pretty cool and I’ve saved all their ‘postcards’ which I intend to share with you over time so keep our eyes peeled.

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Random and fun facts about strawberries:

  • Strawberries also prevent constipation and even colon cancer because they wash away harmful toxins in our intestines.
  • Strawberry consumption also increases memory.
  • Strawberry has antioxidants that protect our immune system. So try a strawberry dipped in melted chocolate for a double boost of disease-fighting antioxidants.
  • These red berries also keep our eyes bright. Studies on eyesight reveals that eating at least 5 strawberries a day could keep your vision clear.
  • Pregnant women may also get a good amount of folic acid from eating strawberries.
  • There are about 200 seeds in every strawberry
  • A 100g serving of strawberries will serve you for just 50 calories – that’s a whooping 0g of fat – Another punnet anyone?
  • Strawberries can help whiten your teeth. The acids in the fruit help to remove stains.
  • Strawberries are full of a special substance called ellagic acid which can help fight cancers.
  • They are also full of flavonoids, which form part of the strawberry’s red colour. They are known to help reduce cholesterol from clogging up the heart’s arteries.
  • Eight strawberries have more vitamin C than an orange, that’s 140% of our daily recommended amount
  • Strawberries can also be white or yellow and some can even taste like pineapples
  • The strawberry plant, along with its good mate the raspberry plant, are members of the rose family.

Blueberry Pancakes

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Rating: Yummy, yummy, yum, yum, yum!MaashaaAllaah!

I was a little skeptical when I saw this recipe online a few days ago, mostly because it involved ground almonds. I know pretty much every recipe I find or use involves ground almonds but that wasn’t what I expected when I had initially started at looking at GF and paleo options. I thought most people used coconut flour a lot and though I have it, it is rarely utilised! Anyway, I’m not complaining, the result is always something tasty alhamdulillaah!

I know it’s common for us Brits to have thin pancakes or crêpes but I’ve had the Ameircan type before and they’re quite nice too. However, you do have to be in a particular mood for them and they do become sickly after just one small one! These on the other hand aren’t so sickly and I genuinely prefer the taste over these over the gluten versions.

I have to admit, these pancakes turned into a little bit of comfort food for me. I was a little under the weather since my body was messed around by potatoes (I think) and I was a little put off food as I started over-analysing where I could have gone wrong or if I was accidentally glutened or dairy-ed. Did I mention I was going totally potato free for the next two months? Well, I am and I’ll eat them after that and see if it has any undesirable affects on my body. You see, I was a little naughty with these home made, over baked potato crisps I made and I reckon they messed me up. It’s the only food I had that I shouldn’t be allowed to have really so it’s my main suspect. Serves me right for having them! A part of me is interested in if potatoes are the culprit but another part of me might just go into shock after the next 2-3 months if my conjecture turns out to be a fact. No more spuds for life… like, properly!

In other news, it’s term holidays which means I get to hang out with my family for the next few days when they come over. We’ve prepared for large family meals, fun and desserts by stocking up on…?! Ah yes, gluten filled food! I opened the fridge this morning and I’m pretty sure my eyes almost jumped out their sockets. I can’t believe I used to eat that stuff. But I’m also confused as to why all my luscious fruit and veg have been buried under things that cause me harm. I don’t stress about cross contamination and thank God it’s all packaged gluten but it is a little off putting. And mean. Today I’m just eating a whole bunch of fruit, I daren’t take out any proper food to cook, not that I can find it in that mess!

Anyway, back to the pancakes, the reason you’re here:

Ingredients

2 eggs, I always use large eggs
1 cup of ground almonds
1 tspn vanilla extract/vanilla beans/paste/powder
1 tbpsn raw honey
pinch of salt
pinch of GF baking powder
pinch of cinnamon (optional but I think it enhances the flavour)
generous amount of blueberries (yum!)

Method

I just pop it all into a small measuring jug (it makes a total of 250ml in case you’re wondering) and whisk with a fork. Really simple. Do NOT add the blueberries at this stage…! Once your batter is ready, pour a bit into a non stick pan with a bit of butter, you need the butter. Spread the pancake batter out a little and drop on a scattering of bluberries (I add loads, they’re so luscious when they’re warmed through in this manner).
Gently lift one side of the pancake and it should have a nice golden colour, that’s when it’s read to flip. It should take no more than a minute and a half on both sides. If your pancake is too thick it will be a little raw and soggy in the middle so make sure you spread it out a little but not like a crêpe!

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I add more blueberries than this after tasting the finished product!

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Careful when you flip it, the raw side seems to splatter out a little so it’s not longer a round shape

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Started off as a circle, honest!

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Add a smidge of butter and drizzle of honey to keep them moist. I don’t really use maple syrup, not sure if it’s entirely paleo? *confused look*

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Serve with sliced bananas (with blueberries it’s uber yum!) and I added some seeds… any seeds, whatever you have, just a sprinkle. You don’t have to but I thought it gave it a nice crunch

Chocolate waffles

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Oh my! What?? Chocolate AND waffles? No way! Yuh way! I’m just gonna cut to the chase, you NEED these in your life. That is all. Read and act upon the following recipe which again I halved to create exactly one scrumdiddlyumptious waffle just for me. The below recipe is the halved one, the original can be found here via PaleOMG



Ingredients

3/4cup almond meal/flour
1/6 or 20-30ml cup canned coconut milk
1/8 cup or dark chocolate chips or Lindt 70% cocoa dark chocolate chopped small
1 egg
1 heaped tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (don’t be shy)
1/2tablespoon maple syrup or raw honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
sprinkle of cinnamon – you can’t taste it so I add a lot more than just a sprinkle
pinch of salt



Instructions

I’ve made this a few times now and the first two times I followed the instructions, the third time, I just chucked everything into my mixing jug and whisked. So do that instead cos they still come out perfect.

Grease your waffle iron, heat it, add the mix and wait depending on what your waffle iron requires. Enjoy with a drizzle of honey, chopped nuts or paleo choc sauce (not tried this yet but I’m thinking of melting choc with coconut milk) and lashings of sliced fruits (bananas and strawberries are winners with chocolate).

I personally like to enjoy this waffle in silence; it’s bliss. Anyone who talks to me whilst operation choc waffle consumption is in progress is rude. I’m not even a chocolate fan really but this is a pleasing treat. I’ve had it for dinner too… twice *blush*

Coconut waffles

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This recipe was discovered whilst browsing blogs of fellow Paleo-ers. I discovered a reasonable looking treat that wouldn’t harm me like gluten does. The only thing is, I don’t eat waffles and I certainly don’t own a waffle iron. Qadr Allaah, my sister’s friend messaged me out the blue to ask me about a cake machine. She happened to mention a good waffle iron that was on offer too. Naturally I took that as a sign to splash some cash and try out a treat. I halved the original recipe because I didn’t know if it would work. It turn out that halving the recipe worked in my favour as it makes exactly one massive American size waffle and since as I’m the only who needs (ok, wants) it, one is plenty. Besides, they’re a little dense and rather rich but oh, so yum, hmm, maashaaAllaah.

Ingredients
3/4cup almond flour/meal
1 egg, whisked
1/8 cup canned coconut milk
1/8 cup desicated coconut
1/2 tablespoon coconut flour
1/2 tablespoon raw honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Note: Despite my dislike for measuring, I eye-balled the cinnamon and vanilla. I love vanilla and cinnamon is cool too.

Instructions
1. Plug in waffle iron, once warm enough to use, lightly spray a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) on it so the waffle doesn’t stick.
2. Whisk your eggs in a medium-large sized bowl
3. Chuck in all the other ingredients and whisk for a minute until well combined.
4 Pour into your greased waffle iron and cooking until it’s done. My waffle iron works alot quicker than I expected so it was done in about a minute or two, I think.
The waffle was scrummy maashaaAllaah besides being a little dry (in my defense I asked my sister to watch it whilst I went to pray and it was ready fast but she didn’t turn it off – thanks sis!). I topped it with raw honey, dark chocolate shavings (70% cocoa solids is what I’m alllowed and not too much of it) and raspberries. Yum!Apologies for the yellow-tinged image. I use my phone to take pictures of food although I do own a nice camera that can do a much better job. A lot of pictures are taken with our breakfast bar lights on and they’re too bright. I tend to use my camera for ‘professional’ shots of my cakes.